D&D 5E Hex Shenanigans

Enevhar Aldarion · May 6, 2020

Did anyone mention yet that you do not even have to do damage to trigger the necrotic damage? All it takes is a successful attack role, as was confirmed a few years ago in Sage Advice. You can Hex a creature, make a successful attack role to catch it in a net, and the extra damage will trigger. So you do not even have to physically injure that chicken or mouse or whatever and just watch the bonus damage kill it for you.

Flamestrike · May 6, 2020

Oofta said:
But the real question is ... can you drop the bricks on the chickens?

Rocks will fall on the player.

It's just gamist nonsense, anyone trying to justify it knows those justifications are just gamist nonsense, and would have no place at my table.

Benjamin Olson · May 6, 2020

Oofta said:
I've ruled that you can't always hold concentration for a long time - I may start asking for concentration checks at a certain point. It's one thing to concentrate on something for a minute or two another to concentrate for an hour depending on the situation.

Well, I suppose that would be a good way for me to break my habit of having all my spell-casters take Invisibility and Suggestion.

Flamestrike · May 6, 2020

Oofta said:
If the only issue is concentration then the chicken is not relevant.

I've ruled that you can't always hold concentration for a long time - I may start asking for concentration checks at a certain point. It's one thing to concentrate on something for a minute or two another to concentrate for an hour depending on the situation.

Why?

Hex and Hunters mark are staples for their classes, core to their offensive ability keeping pace with other classes, and have a concentration duration of up to 24 hours.

The expectation is it is supposed to last all adventuring day long at that point. Heck that's probably also the case when the duration is 8 hours, but 24 is just making sure I guess.

If Im capable of casting 5th level slots, and have learnt and then cast a spell that lets me concentrate on Hex all day long using a 5th level slot, I would be pretty bummed for a DM to rule that I need to make constant Con saves just to maintain it.

Otherwise you're just nixing Warlocks by forcing them to spam multiple of their precious few slots on recasting Hex all day long (plus making Resilient [Con] a feat tax for that class).

Fenris-77 · May 6, 2020

Benjamin Olson said:
Well, I suppose that would be a good way for me to break my habit of having all my spell-casters take Invisibility and Suggestion.

I can take or leave Invisibility, but Suggestion, yum, too good to leave on the buffet table.

Fenris-77 · May 6, 2020

Oofta said:
If the only issue is concentration then the chicken is not relevant.

This, right here, needs to be on the short list for EN World quote of the year. We need to start a list.

Benjamin Olson · May 6, 2020

Fenris-77 said:
I can take or leave Invisibility, but Suggestion, yum, too good to leave on the buffet table.

My most glorious, and oft-recounted D&D moment was my Bard using her very last spell slot to Suggestion the devil who was supposed to be our near unbeatable final encounter into deciding to just walk right back through the portal he came out of because we weren't worth his time.

Fenris-77 · May 6, 2020

Benjamin Olson said:
My most glorious, and oft-recounted D&D moment was my Bard using her very last spell slot to Suggestion the devil who was supposed to be our near unbeatable final encounter into deciding to just walk right back through the portal he came out of because we weren't worth his time.

Benjamin Olson · May 6, 2020

Fenris-77 said:
View attachment 121744

Well there was a 85% chance of him passing that saving throw he failed, so it's really more like "lucky". Perhaps not so much for the DM who had gotten an elaborate mini for that enemy.

Baldurs_Underdark · May 6, 2020

Fenris-77 said:
Hexing a chicken is silly. I don't play D&D for silly. Therefore....

There is most definitely room for silly in my games. If my player would Hex a chicken, the player would probably have to make a roll of some kind. I'd probably have to improvise, and go for an animal handling check to see if they can prevent the chicken from killing itself. Hex is a powerful curse for such a puny animal.

Or maybe I'd give the chicken some necrotic false life, and allow some tentacles to grow and attack.

Meanwhile in my actual games, the Warlock can just move the Hex to another enemy, and does not need a pet to "store" the hex.

D&D 5E Hex Shenanigans

Enevhar Aldarion

Hero

Flamestrike

Legend

Benjamin Olson

Hero

Flamestrike

Legend

Fenris-77

Small God of the Dozens

Fenris-77

Small God of the Dozens

Benjamin Olson

Hero

Fenris-77

Small God of the Dozens

Benjamin Olson

Hero

Baldurs_Underdark

Hero

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